Matt DeMelis has spent the past two seasons building his professional hockey career in Worcester. Now, that work has earned him his first American Hockey League contract.
The Worcester Railers announced that the 27-year-old forward has signed with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Railers’ AHL affiliate, marking another step forward for a player who began his professional career at the DCU Center in 2024.
The move does not mean DeMelis is leaving Worcester immediately. He remains on the Railers’ roster and is expected to travel with the team to Portland, Maine, this weekend for a matchup against the Maine Mariners, according to the team’s announcement.
The new contract comes after a productive second professional season in which DeMelis established career highs in goals, assists and points. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points, ranking third on the Railers in goals and fourth in both assists and points.
He also proved to be one of the team’s most dependable players, appearing in all 72 regular-season games alongside captain Anthony Repaci. They were the only two Worcester skaters to play every game.
DeMelis has already made his mark on the new season.
Just 15 seconds into Worcester’s 2026-27 opener, he scored the team’s first goal of the season, setting a record for the fastest goal to begin a season in Worcester professional hockey history.
The milestone added another entry to a growing list of accomplishments for the Hingham native, who has steadily climbed the Railers’ franchise statistical rankings.
Through 134 games with Worcester, DeMelis has scored 29 goals and recorded 69 points. He ranks 10th in franchise history in games played and goals and 11th in points, just one behind Jacob Hayhurst for 10th place.
His path to professional hockey began at Northeastern University, where he played five seasons and collected 20 goals and 30 assists in 152 games.
DeMelis was also part of three Beanpot championship teams with the Huskies. His college career included a memorable contribution to the 2024 championship game against Boston University, when he scored the tying goal to help Northeastern secure back-to-back Beanpot titles.
Following his college career, DeMelis signed with Worcester in August 2024. He returned for a third season this summer, signing a new agreement with the Railers on July 21.
His latest contract represents a step up in professional status, although an AHL contract does not guarantee playing time in Springfield. Players on AHL contracts can be assigned to affiliated ECHL teams, allowing them to continue developing while remaining available for opportunities at the higher level.
For the Railers, the signing also highlights the team’s player-development relationship with Springfield and, through the Thunderbirds, the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.
For DeMelis, it is a chance to move closer to hockey’s highest level while continuing to contribute to the team where his professional career began.
